Hodson Bay Hotel Roscommon IFC Quarter-Final
Fuerty 1-12 Kilbride 1-10
The two-point margin would suggest that this was a close encounter at Knockcroghery last Sunday morning, but nothing could be further from the truth as Kilbride scored 1-3 in injury-time to put some respectability on the scoreboard.
This was a game that Fuerty dominated and they thoroughly deserved their win. Now they will face Oran in what will be a really competitive semi-final.
In fact Kilbride did not score a point from play until the 42nd minute and it was only in injury-time that they put up any sort of a meaningful challenge.
In the meantime Fuerty were on top for almost the entire game and with Niall Keenan, Thomas Bannon, Niall Kilroy and Gearoid Ennis in top form, they built up a match-winning lead as the game went on.
Fuerty led by 0-4 to 0-1 after 16 minutes with Gearoid Ennis and Niall Kilroy scoring two points each and by half-time Fuerty led by 1-7 to 0-3, the goal coming in the first minute of injury-time, a great run and low shot from Niall Keenan.
Kilbride were totally out of sorts and could only manage three first-half frees from Henry Walsh (2) and Conor Devaney.
The pattern continued in the second half and while Kilbride did improve a bit, Fuerty could always keep them at arm’s length and with seven minutes to go Fuerty were coasting to victory, leading 1-11 to 0-7.
Then Fuerty switched Conor Devaney out the field and put Seamie O’Neill full-forward and they started to play much better. Seamie O’Neill had to retire ten minutes from time with a back injury. Fergal Tully and Tom O’Grady (2) knocked over three points.
Then Fuerty lifted the siege with a fine fisted point from Gearoid Ennis in the 33rd minute. A minute later came one of the finest goals that you will see on any field in 2015. Conor Devaney went on a 50-metre solo run before lashing the ball into the roof of the Fuerty net from 25 metres. It was a fantastic goal but it was too little too late – and Fuerty thoroughly deserved their win.
Indeed there was time for even more drama as veteran Fuerty midfielder Fran Hanlon was shown a straight red card in the 34th minute by referee Kevin Naughton for an off-the-ball incident, and he will now miss the semi-final.
However on the basis of this display Fuerty will have a great chance of making the final and their semi-final joust with Oran should be a really competitive local derby.
Fuerty: Dylan Keaveney; Sean Melia, Adam Whyte, Thomas Bannon; John Brennan, Peter Kellehan, Philip Neilan (0-1); Fran Hanlon, Eoin Whyte; Aengus Lyons, Eamon Bannon, Darragh Mullan; Niall Keenan (1-1), Gearoid Ennis (0-6, 5 frees), Niall Kilroy (0-4, 2 frees). Subs: Steven Kilcommins for Neilan (48, black card), Darragh Heavey for Mullen (58).
Kilbride: Jonathan Farrell; Paul O’Grady, Declan McDermott, Paul Foxe; Niall Tully, Stuart Feely, Richard Kelly; Seamus O’Neill, Colm O’Neill; Henry Walsh (0-4, all frees), Fergal Tully (0-1), David O’Rourke; Conor Devanney (1-2, 1 free), Tom O’Grady (0-3, 1 free), John Donnelly. Subs: Conor Shanagher for O’Rourke (h-t), Brian Merriman for S O’Neill (52), David Battles for Kelly (56). Referee: Kevin Naughton.
Man of the Match: Niall Keenan (Fuerty)
Hodson Bay Hotel Roscommon IFC Quarter Final
Michael Glavey’s 2-10 St Dominic’s 0-15
Michael Glavey’s magnificent run in this year’s Intermediate Championship continued at O’Rourke Park last Saturday night and now they take on Tulsk in the last four of the competition having edged out St Dominic’s after what was a thrilling contest.
Two first-half goals from Stephen Comer laid the foundations for this win but Dominic’s staged a stirring second-half rally that just came up short in the end.
Glavey’s first goal came in the 12th minute and was a well-worked score, with Stephen Comer supplying a brilliant finish. Dominic’s were struggling to stay in touch and with Andrew Glennon once again in top form Glavey’s were pulling away.
Then with four minute to go to half-time Glavey’s struck again when Comer scored at the second attempt following a good save from Mark Miley.
However in fairness to St Dominic’s, and with Michael Finneran playing well at midfield, they did score three unanswered points before half-time. Glavey’s led by three points by the 47th minute.
But St Dominic’s staged a late rally. Darren Donnelly and Conor Fallon pointed frees to cut the margin to the minimum. Then Stephen Comer scored a vital point before Conor Fallon once again cut the margin to one, in the 58th minute.
There was a frantic end to the game but Glavey’s survived the Dominic’s onslaught and now they face Tulsk on Sunday in the semi-final.
Michael Glavey’s: R Mannion; D Freyne, D O’Malley, P Morris; J Brennan, D O’Malley, N Morris; C Hussey, C Fitzmaurice; S Fagan, G Patterson (0-1), Seamus Burke; Sean Burke, A Glennon (0-6), S Comer (2-3). Subs: C Costello for Morris, C Ruane for Patterson.
St Dominic’s: M Miley; D Corcoran, P Joyce, A Grady; M O’Grady, R Byrne, T Gately; M Finneran (0-3), S Farrell (0-1); R Morris, C Fallon (0-3), K Dockery; D Donnelly (0-5), E McCormack (0-1), U Kelly (0-2). Subs: P Dolan for Joyce, M Byrne for Grady, P Fallon for Farrell, B O’Meara for Morris, A Naughton for R Byrne, D Donnelly for Darren Donnelly. Referee: Brendan Beirne.
Man of the Match: Andrew Glennon (Michael Glavey’s)
Hodson Bay Hotel Intermediate Football Championship Relegation Play-Off
St Barry’s 1-11 St Ronan’s 1-8
St Barry’s survived the relegation dog-fight at Tarmonbarry to send St Ronan’s through the trap door and into the junior ranks following what was a bad-tempered affair.
Ronan’s were the better side early on and a Mark Healy goal gave them the early initiative, but good play from Finbar McGowan and David Keenan saw Barry’s close the gap to one.
Then a hotly-disputed free before half-time led to a controversial Barry’s goal from Shane Doherty, and by half-time they led by a point, 1-5 to 1-4.
Barry’s kicked three points without reply on the resumption but then they lost Martin Guilford to a red card and suddenly Ronan’s closed to within a point when Alan Benson scored two frees.
Finbar McGowan pointed a Barry’s free and then corner-back Barry Brennan pointed from play to give them breathing space. Ronan’s laid siege on the Barry’s goal in the final minutes but they couldn’t get the equalising goal they needed – and Barry’s had survived.
St Barry’s: D Wallace; B Brennan (0-1), M Regan, J McNally; R Rogers, T Murtagh, R Farrell; D Keenan, J Murtagh (0-2); R McGowan (0-1), F McGowan (0-4), E Conroy; R Mitchell, S Doherty (1-0), M Guilford (0-1). Subs: A McGowan for Regan, D Walsh (0-1) for T Murtagh, D Cox (0-1) for Farrell, T Murtagh for Conroy, E Conroy for A McGowan.
St Ronan’s: D McTiernan; M Daly, E Flynn, M Gaffney; M McNama, F Guihan, F Travers; J Glynn, D Leydon; J Noone, S McNama, A Benson (0-5); T Guihan, R Healy, M Healy (1-1). Subs: G O’Daly (0-2) for Leydon, D Duggan for T Guihan, D Leydon for J Noone. Referee: Paul Fahy.
Man of the Match: Finbar McGowan (St Barry’s)
